Putin: Crimea similar to Kosovo, West is rewriting its own rule book

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Federal Assembly, including State Duma deputies, members of the Federation Council, regional governors and civil society representatives, at the Kremlin in Moscow March 18, 2014. (Reuters / Maxim Shemetov)

Crimea’s secession from Ukraine was just like Kosovo’s secession from Serbia, and any arguments otherwise are just attempts to bend the West-advocated rules that were applied to the Kosovo case, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

The statements came as Putin was addressing the Russian
parliament to convince lawmakers to ratify a treaty, which would
make Crimea part of the Russian Federation.

In the speech he challenged Washington’s position, which says
that Kosovo was a unique case and could not justify any other
move towards independence in the world.

“Our western partners created the Kosovo precedent with their
own hands. In a situation absolutely the same as the one in
Crimea they recognized Kosovo’s secession from Serbia legitimate
while arguing that no permission from a country’s central
authority for a unilateral declaration of independence is
necessary,” Putin reminded, adding that the UN International
Court of Justice agreed to those arguments.

“That’s what they wrote, that what they trumpeted all over
the world, coerced everyone into it – and now they are
complaining. Why is that?” he asked.

Putin dismissed the argument that Kosovo was unique due to the
large number of victims during the Balkan wars and the
dissolution of Yugoslavia.

“It’s beyond double standards,” Putin said. “It’s a
kind of baffling, primitive and blatant cynicism. One can’t just
twist things to fit his interests, to call something white on one
day and black on the next one.”

The president dismissed the allegations that Russia is violating
international law with its actions in Ukraine.

“Well’ it’s good that they at least recalled that there is
international law. Thank you very much. Better late than
never,” Putin said adding that in fact nothing of this kind
happened.

Watch President Putin's speech in full

‘In Ukraine the West crossed the red line’

In fact, it was Russia that defended international law and its
institutions, while western countries have been diminishing them.
The situation in Crimea is just a reflection of this broader
process, which has been happening for decades now.

“In the practical application of policies, our western
partners – the United States first and foremost – prefer to be
guided not by international law, but by the right of strength.
They believe in their exceptionalism, that they are allowed to
decide on the fate of the world, that they are always
right,” Putin charged.

This disregard to rule of law was evident in Yugoslavia in 1999,
when NATO bombed the country without a UN Security Council
mandate, the Russian president said. There was Afghanistan, Iraq
and the perversion of the UNSC resolution on Libya, when instead
of imposing a no-fly zone NATO bombed the country into
submission.

There were also orchestrated “colored revolutions” in Europe and
the Arab World, which cynically used the feelings of people tired
with corruption and poverty. The latest Ukrainian events are just
the latest of such actions, and Russia’s willingness to seek
dialogue and compromise was stonewalled again, Putin said.

“They were cheating us once more, took decisions behind our
back, presented us with a fait accompli,” he said, adding
that the patter is identical to that which accompanied NATO’s
expansion to the east, the deployment of an anti-ballistic
missile system, visa restrictions and numerous other issues.

“They are constantly trying to corner us in retaliation for
our having an independent position, for defending it, for calling
things by their names and not being hypocritical,” Putin
accused. “Everything has its limits, and in Ukraine our
western partners crossed the red line. They acted brutally,
irresponsibly and unprofessionally.”

Putin said the West must stop being hysterical, restrain from the
Cold War rhetoric and admit the obvious: “Russia is an
independent and active participant of international relations.
Just like any nation it has national interests that must be taken
into consideration and respected.”

As for the Ukrainian red line, the coup-imposed authorities in
Kiev voiced their desire to join NATO, and such a move would pose
an imminent threat to Russia, Putin said.

“We stand against having a military organization meddling in
our backyard, next to our homeland or in the territories that are
historically ours. I just cannot imagine visiting NATO sailors in
Sevastopol,” he stressed. “Most of them are fine lads,
by the way. But rather let them visit us in Sevastopol than the
other way around.”

At the end of his speech, Putin announced the submission to parliament of a
draft federal law which would incorporate Crimea and the City of
Sevastopol into Russian territory, as well as a request to ratify
an international treaty with the government of Crimea to make
this happen. He said he was sure of the legislature’s support for
both documents.